A study on aerosol optical depth at a coastal station, Trivandrum

Abstract

Using a three-wavelength solar radiometer in the visible band, the characteristics of atmospheric aerosol optical depth at the coastal station, Trivandrum, are studied. The aerosol optical depth peaks up in summer months with a deep trough in winter. Its wavelength dependence shows that columnar aerosol size distribution changes from a bimodal type in winter to a relatively monomodal type in summer. The optical depth is found to increase with relative humidity at high humidity values.